


The Things You Need to Carry to Survive

by Volavi



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman Ninja (2018), Nightwing (Comics), Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Batman Ninja - Freeform, Brief discussion of things that can sometimes go wrong during pregnancy and delivery, Childbirth, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Mpreg, Omega Dick Grayson, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Unplanned Pregnancy, because what did that movie do to his personality?, damian is the same way i always write him, omega!dick, pregnant dick grayson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-30
Updated: 2019-09-10
Packaged: 2020-05-31 02:11:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19416346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Volavi/pseuds/Volavi
Summary: After Nightwing and Red Hood are transported to Feudal Japan, an unplanned heat results in Dick expecting their baby, but the two haven't formally bonded. It seems as if Jason may not even be back in time for the birth. Dick isn't looking forward to having a baby without the safety net of modern medicine, and Jason isn't sure he's capable of being the partner Dick deserves.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by the amazing works of CherryMiko: https://cherrymiko-art.tumblr.com/
> 
> See end notes for content warnings.

Dick frowns at the small kunai that fell out of the basket he’s precariously balancing on his hip. He sighs, contemplating whether or not it would actually be worth bending down to retrieve. He’d have to put down the basket, kneel to get the kunai, stand up again, and then pick up the basket, which was hard enough when it was on a table - picking it up from the ground would be even more difficult. Bending over at the waist just isn’t possible with a belly the size of a large watermelon. He imagines just leaving the small throwing knife there, for whoever to find. Best case scenario would be Alfred finding it. Worst case - Damian. The idea of the young Alpha moaning about Dick leaving his dumb junk all around is enough to decide Dick. With a resigned gust of breath through his nose, he works a foot out of his sandal, grabs the offending weapon with his toes - safely around the wrapped handle, not the blade - and lifts it up by his hip. He grabs the kunai with his free hand, plops it back on top of the basket, and slides his foot back into the sandal. Victory.

Dick takes his basket of newly-repaired weapons to the training yard, but before he can drop them off in the small storage room across the yard, Damian appears at his side, glowering.

“Give me the basket, Grayson, this instant. You are not to carry things in this state.” 

“That’s a myth, Dami,” Dick protests, but hands over the basket anyway. He’d spent the last nine months attempting to correct Damian’s misconceptions about pregnancy, to little effect, and now, so close to Alfred’s best guess to his due date, Dick doubts Damian will stop pampering him. Especially since it is actually getting harder to do things like bend down, not that Damian needed to know that. They walk together to the shed and start putting putting the weapons away. 

“When is Todd getting back?” Damian asks.

“Alfred told him to be back by the new moon at the latest, just to provide some leeway.” Dick pretends to think, as if he hasn’t already done the calculations a thousand times already today. “So three days.”

“Do you think he’ll be here?”

“He better be.” Dick flings a shuriken into the target along the fall wall, embedding it into the bullseye. 

Damian raises an eyebrow. “Todd is an idiot who is not worthy of fathering your child, but he should be here for the birth. If he’s not here by the new moon, I will go retrieve him. Wherever he is.”

Dick ruffles Damian’s hair. “Ahhhh, Damian, I knew you cared,” he croons, just because he loves the way Damian glowers like an angry kitten. 

“I do not care about Todd. However, I do care about my future nephew or niece, and I believe their father’s presence at their birth would increase bonding, which is instrumental in a child’s success and happiness.”

Dick pulls Damian into a sideways hug. “Your father loves you very much, whether or not he was there when you were a baby, and we’ll find a way back to him. I promise.”

Damian allows the hug for a moment, but pulls away as soon as Dick finishes talking. “Cease your prattling. I was speaking of Todd and your child, not Father and myself.”

“I know you were, Dami, but I still meant what I said.” Damian’s scowl doesn’t lift, so Dick grabs the now-empty basket and speaks in a lighter tone. “I appreciate the offer, but I hope it won’t be necessary. Now, I think even you will agree that I can manage an empty basket on my own. Get back to training and I’ll see you at dinner tonight.”

Dick heads back to the compound Eian of the Bat Clan had provided for himself, Tim, Jason and Damian, dropping the basket at the blacksmith’s on the way. He’s finished his chores for the day, such as they were, and was already feeling bored. He’d been going on daily runs up until recently, but had stopped when they started getting too uncomfortable. He still worked out daily, to the consternation of Damian and most of the Bat Clan, but wanted to wait until the temperature started to cool in the late afternoon. Dick missed air conditioning more than he admitted, not that he’d ever mention it out loud. No need to worry his hosts any more than they already were.

The Bat Clan hadn’t quite known what to make of the fact that he was an omega, but also a warrior and the leader of the batfam in Batman’s absence. They ended up letting him do what he wanted to do, and didn’t expect him to behave like their own omegas. Being part of the prophecy gave them a lot of leeway to explain away differences, and being gaijin excused the rest. That freedom had been tested when Dick became pregnant and they were back to not knowing how to treat him. It put Dick in a difficult position - he wasn’t about to stop planning and working towards Bruce’s return, but the home they lived in, the food they ate, the clothes they wore, everything, were purely from the generosity of the village. Dick and the rest tried to give back, offering training and their skills in payment, but Dick knew they were here on sufferance. It was a fine line to walk - not offending and shocking their hosts too much, while still doing what he felt he needed to do. 

It’s not like any of this had been planned. Being sent back in time, running out of suppressants, leading to an unexpected heat, shared with Jason. The fact that, against all odds, despite his years of birth control and suppressants, he’d conceived during that first shared heat. They’re still not mates, even though they’re having a baby. Jason spends most of his time on scouting and recon missions, taking advantage of the anonymity of the reed hood, and they’ve not had enough time together to really grow into a relationship. But that doesn’t mean that Dick doesn’t want Jason at the birth. Bonding is kickstarted by both parents holding and scenting the newborn. Even if Jason and Dick aren’t mates, Jason is the baby’s sire, and Dick wants to make sure he enjoys a good relationship with his kit. 

Dick also wants Jason back for selfish reasons. He’s going to give birth without twenty first century pain relief, which he isn’t expecting to be a problem, given his history as a vigilante. But he’s also going without access to any of the other benefits of medical advances from their own time period. No Cesarean section if there’s an emergency - or Alfred could perform one, but Dick himself would almost certainly die, even if the baby survived. No antibiotics if either of them get sick. No blood transfusions if Dick has a hemorrhage. No neonatal intensive care. 

Dick’s not scared. Not exactly. But he wants someone he’s comfortable with supporting him, and even though they aren’t mates, he feels comfortable with Jason. He knows he can rely on Jason to anchor him, calm him, make decisions if Dick’s too out of it. 

So Jason better get his ass back in time. 

*

The day Jason is expected back passes like all of the other days for Dick recently, slow, sweating and uncomfortable. He tries not to worry when Jason hasn’t returned by dusk, or the next day, or the day after that. Alfred had erred on the side of caution, and given a three week cushion before his best estimation of Dick’s expected due date. The village midwife, while not trusting their modern calendars, had nonetheless backed up Alfred’s deadline that Jason return by the new moon.

The new moons turns to the crescent moon, moves past the first quarter, and is nearly full when Jason finally shows up.

Dick had gone on a short walk through the village to visit a friend of his, one of the few other male omegas, when Damian bursts into the room.

“Jason’s back! Come to the square!”

Dick grins with relief before he can remember how mad he is and starts the process of standing up. Damian sighs, rolls his eyes, and extends a hand too late to actually be useful. “Never mind, I’m up now.”

Damian leads the way to the main gate, with Dick following slightly breathlessly behind. Jason is conferring with Alfred and Tim, reed mask tucked under one elbow. He looks dusty and travel-stained, but well. Dick strides up to him and punches him on the bicep, hard enough to stagger him. 

“What was that for?” Jason protests.

“You’re late! By almost two weeks! You could have missed the birth!”

Jason looks pointedly at Dick’s impressively large belly, one corner of his mouth quirking up. “Well, obviously I didn’t. You’re as big as a. . .”

“Right then, Master Jason,” Alfred interjects before Jason can finish that sentence. “Let’s get you freshened up, and then perhaps you and Master Dick can catch up over tea.”

For a moment, Jason looks like he might protest, but then he sighs and picks up his bag. “Sure thing, Alf.”

Tim glances at Dick, a hint of apology in his eyes, before turning back to Jason. “I want to hear your report, so let me grab some paper and I’ll meet you to take some notes.” Damian crosses his arms and frowns after them, but stays with Dick. 

Dick watches this with his hands on his hips, caught between wanting Jason to know how pissed he is even if the entire village hears it too and wanting to press his nose into Jason’s neck and just smell him until he falls asleep in Jason’s strong arms. In the end, he does nothing, not sure how much of his warring impulses are from dumb omega instincts or even dumber pregnancy hormones, or justified anger that his due date is in two days, and Jason is finally showing up. The midwives had warned him that the baby was just as likely to come early as it was late. 

“Come, Grayson. Would you like to return to visiting with your friend?” Damian asks.

Dick considers but shakes his head. Now that Jason is back, he wants to be at least in the same house as him, even if he has to wait until Jason finishes his report and gotten clean enough to appease Alfred. “I want to listen to the report. Hopefully he found some leads on B.”

“You want to see if he has a good reason for being late.”

Dick shoots Damian a crooked smile. “Yeah, that too.”

The two of them head to their home, not trying to catch up with the other three. These days, Damian has a constant look of mild alarm when he’s around Dick, and Dick’s caught him eyeing Dick’s belly as if wary that it might explode without warning at any point. Dick ruffles Damian’s hair. “Don’t worry so much. I’m fine.”

“I am not worried.”

“Of course you’re not,” Dick agress easily. 

“Tt.”

****

Jason’s excuse for being late has some merit, something about agreeing to help an old lady home, except instead of across the village as he’d assumed, she’d lived across the mountain. Dick couldn’t stay mad at him, especially since Jason was begging his forgiveness while rubbing his feet. Jason murmurs apologies and presses his strong, calloused fingers into the arches of Dick's puffy feet. Dick decides to forgive him, since even though he'd been later than Alfred's deadline, Jason hadn't actually missed the birth.

"You're lucky that this kit seems to be as tardy by nature as you are, Little Wing," Dick says and Jason rubs a thumbnail along the sole of his foot in a way guaranteed to tickle. Dick jerks his foot away with a laugh. "That's cheating."

"We didn't agree on the rules, Goldie," Jason says but returns to the soothing motions. "And that nice little old lady told me that first kits are always late."

"Oh god, please don't say that. I want this kit out of me."

"Well, you look good. You're carrying well."

"Don't lie to me. You said yourself that I'm huge, my feet are swollen, the baby's butt is right up in my diaphragm so I feel like I haven't taken a deep breath in weeks, and I can't sleep. I'm ready for this to be over. I'm more than ready to meet our son or daughter."

"Well, do you know what else that old lady told me? She said that orgasms are good for stimulating labor."

Dick laughs. "Are they now?"

Jason nods very seriously, but the dagger-sharp slice of his smile and the glint in his eyes gives him away. "That's what she said, and she said she had twenty seven grandkits."

"I guess it can't hurt to try, can it?"

Jason's smile widens. "I was hoping you'd say that."


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick and Jason have a joyful reunion in bed, but can't seem to stop arguing when they're not between the sheets. Luckily Alfred is the voice of reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains a smut scene and I've adjusted the fic's rating accordingly.

The weeks since Jason has last seen Dick naked have brought about some obvious changes in the size of Dick's body, changes that he isn’t necessarily embarrassed about, and yet there is still a certain shyness as he unwraps his obi and lets it drop to the floor. His yukata falls open, parting on either side of Dick’s protruding stomach. Jason brings his hand up slow enough that Dick could stop it if he wanted to and strokes the taut skin. "Is this okay?" he asked.

"More than okay."

Jason pushes the fabric back to expose more belly. "You look so good like this.”

"It's hard to feel gorgeous right now," Dick admits. 

Jason's cradles the bump, his big hands resting on either side of Dick's belly button, rough and callused but gentle. "Seeing you like this, full and round with my kit. Sexy."

Dick chuckles ruefully. "That’s just your dumb alpha brain.”

"Just ‘cause it’s dumb doesn’t mean it’s wrong."

"That makes no sense."

"I mean, you're hot and I want you, so even if you don’t get it, it’s true." Jason strokes one of his thumbs across Dick's skin, the moonlight catching an expression something like wonder spreading across his face. Dick has never seen something so soft on tender on Jason's face, and it moves him to drop the levity. He shrugs out of the yukata and takes a small step forward, enough that the roundness of his stomach presses against Jason's flat abs and pulls him in for a kiss. Jason has to lean over a little awkwardly, but drops his hands from Dick's belly and brings them around Dick's waist instead as he returns the kiss with interest.

After swirling his tongue around Jason's, lips gentle yet insistent, exploring him, Dick breaks the kiss and looks down at the bump between them. "It's kind of like a bad party game - how long we can kiss while keeping a beach ball squished between us."

Jason snorts. "I don't want to ask what kind of parties you went to if that's your idea of a party game."

"I said it was a bad one!" Dick protests, laughing.

"Well, as much as I like this - " Jason strokes the sides of Dick's stomach again - "I have to admit that I want to get closer to other parts of you. Any ideas of how to make that happen?"

"Such a sweet talker."

"I mean, I don't want to hurt you, but I do want . . .” Jason trails off into awkward silence.

“You’re worried, but you’re horny.” Jason looks a bit uncomfortable at Dick’s bluntness, but nods, pink dusting across the freckles on his face. Dick lets him squirm for a moment before chuckling and saying, “I’m constantly horny at the moment so I’m not judging.”

“I do want sex, but I don’t want to hurt your or the baby, but if you want to, and if you have any suggestions, I will try whatever you want. Even if it's just lie down and cuddle, or kiss. Whatever you're feeling up for."

Dick can't see below his stomach, still pressing against Jason, but he doesn't need to see what he's doing for his hand to unerringly brush against Jason's cock.

"Richard Grayson, I swear to god, if you make the joke that I think you're about to make, no one is getting any sex, because my cock will wilt with second-hand embarrassment on your behalf and may never recover."

Dick snickers but doesn't move his hand. He palms Jason's cock through his pants, already firm and standing to attention. His own cock strains against the low curve of his belly leaking precum against the bare skin. With so many pregnancy hormones in his system, he doesn't really ejaculate these days, but all the increased blood flow to the entire area because of the pregnancy makes him feel excited very easily. "I think you need to get your clothes off," Dick says, tugging at Jason's waistband, "as quickly as possible."

Jason obliges, then helps Dick out of the rest of his clothes. When they're both naked, Jason strokes Dick softly again, kissing, rubbing his fingers across every new curve. 

"What do you want? I want to make you feel good," Jason says in a low whisper, warm and deep, and Dick shivers.

"Let's try me on my hands and knees, and you behind. Classic and this shouldn't get in the way." Dick pats his belly lightly.

Jason’s fingers fumble in their haste to get the rest of their clothes off, which Dick makes harder because he can’t stop kissing him, because kissing him feels good, it’s making everything between his hips feel warm and tingly, and he can’t get enough of Jason, of feeling Jason’s skin against his own. 

“Get on the bed, on your back,” Dick gasps when they’re both finally naked. 

“Don’t you need to, um, you know, warm-up?” Jason asks.

Dick smirks. “Nope, and I don’t think you do either.” Dick gives Jason a tiny push in the center of his chest and Jason lays on his back without further protest. Dick follows more carefully, lowering himself to the futon with a grunt, and then Dick straddles Jason, reaches between his own thighs to gather some of the slick already leaking out of his hole, and slides some over the tip of Jason’s cock. His thumb teases Jason’s slit, circles the top slow and then faster and faster until Jason twitches and gasps. 

“Ready?” Dick asks. At Jason’s nod, he takes one of Jason’s hands to steady himself, positions himself above Jason’s cock and eases himself down on it, guiding it in with his slick hand inch by inch until he’s flush against Jason’s body. He’s filled, stretched almost to his limit in every direction, everything feeling hot and tight. He’s so full it’s right on the line between pleasure and pain. Dick will need a moment to adjust before he can move. 

Jason bites his lip, eyes half-closed against the effort of stopping himself from thrusting, rests his free hand on Dick’s hip and gives a little squeeze. “Take your time.”

“Look at you, being so careful with me. Holding still until I’m ready,” Dick teases because he can’t say out loud how Jason’s gentleness makes him feel.

Jason opens his eyes enough to glare at Dick. “You’re not helping.”

“So when I do this? Does this help?” Dick asks as he rolls his hips.

Jason gasps and shudders but still doesn’t thrust. “Define helping.”

“How about this? Helpful?” Dick rises up a couple of inches and then lowers himself down. 

“Very helpful. How about you do all the work and I just lie back and think of England?”

“Not exactly what I had in mind.” Dick rolls his hips again until he feels Jason’s cock hit him just right inside, then lifts up and down, leans his head and shoulders back and just grinds, and Jason is now gripping both of his hips, helping him move, thrusting up each time Dick goes down, breathing getting faster, rougher, and Dick says, “yes, yes, that’s it, good, more,” and Jason says “I got you, baby, I got you, like this?” and Dick arches his back and grabs Jason’s wrists, it’s too much but it’s not enough, so he tenses his thighs and pushes himself up and slams himself down, Jason rises to meet him, he’s so hot, Jason is huge and hot and it’s tightening, faster, and now Dick’s not capable of works anymore, just moans, and gasps, encouraging Jason to keep going, don’t stop, and Jason is saying “I’m close” and Dick manages to say “yes” hoping that Jason will understand, will get that he means he is close too, and Jason can let go. 

Jason’s cock jerks inside Dick and Jason shouts and thrusts and that’s enough to tip Dick over the edge too, his walls clench around Jason’s length, he stills as he feels Jason’s knot swell, keening as it stretches him that much further, pushing even more, but it’s a good push, and the last waves of his orgasm flutter around the knot, and they pulse together. 

****

The next morning, eating a breakfast of rice and miso soup, Tim glowers at Jason and Dick from bloodshot eyes. 

“Morning, Timmy,” Dick chirps from his seat at the low table, leaning against Jason. “Did you sleep well?”

“No, I did not, as I think you already know.”

Smirking, Jason asks, “Why ever not, Replacement?”

“You ever heard of the saying ‘paper-thin walls’? Well, here, the walls are actually made of nothing but paper, so I heard everything.”

Jason snorts, not at all abashed, while Damian snickers. Dick flushes, embarrassed but too happy to have Jason back to let it really bother him. 

Alfred appears with a fish fresh off the grill and everyone snaps to attention. “I believe this is not acceptable mealtime conversation, lads. So what are your plans for the day?” he inquires.

“I’ve got to teach a couple of classes later this morning, but I don’t have anything else that can’t be rearranged.”

“What? You’re still working?” Jason demands.

“Yes, why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because you're nine months pregnant with my kit, that’s why!”

Alfred clears his throat. “I’d like to have a civilized breakfast with my family. I suggest you two resume this conversation after our meal.”

“But I --” Jason starts to say, but closes his mouth with a snap at Alfred’s pointed glare. “Fine.”

Dick had pulled away from Jason when they started arguing, so he shifts to get more comfortable on his own pillow, not really wanting the physical contact anymore. The rest of breakfast passes in awkward semi-silence. Finally, Alfred excuses himself, the signal that the rest are free to go, and Jason grabs Dick’s wrist and practically drags him to the garden. 

“So what exactly are you doing?” Jason hisses.

“I’m teaching basic acrobatics to some of the kits, not anything strenuous. What else should I be doing?”

“Resting? Have you thought about that?”

“If all I did was ‘rest,’ I’d go crazy from boredom. There’s no TV, no internet, no talking to Donna or Roy or Wally or Babs, not even books or magazines. I’ve already learned how to play the shamisen. I’ve tried painting and calligraphy and I don’t have any aptitude for them, and honestly, I don’t have the temperament for them either. There’s only so much yoga and napping that I can do! You’re never here. I’m bored!”

“No one else can do what I do. I’m the only one who can move freely to get the information we need from the other provinces.”

“I’m not judging you for what you’re doing. I’m asking you not to judge what I’m doing to keep myself occupied until the kit comes.”

“You know you won’t be able to get back to full training right away.”

Dick rolls his eyes. “Yes. Obviously. But I’ll have a baby that will need me, and somehow I think I’ll have plenty to do. Then, after a few weeks, I’ll be able to start working out and training.”

“A few weeks? How about a few months?”

“Don’t get all over-protective alpha on me now. We have no idea when B will show up, and the sooner I’m ready, the better. He’ll need me.”

“He’ll need you? What about the kit? What about making sure you have enough time to properly recover? B isn’t the only one who needs you. Remember that.”

“He’s going to need everyone ready and well to take on the Joker and the rest of them.”

“If you think I’m letting you get anywhere near the Joker, you’re sorely mistaken.”

“Letting me? Would you like to say that again, because I’m sure you didn’t imply that you have the ability to allow or forbid me from doing things.” 

“You don’t need to light yourself on fire just because Bruce says that he’s cold. We’re having a baby. Everything changes now.”

“I know that.”

“Do you? Because you’re not acting like it,” Jason growls, then turns on his heel and strides off. 

Dick takes a couple of steps to follow but realizes he’d never catch up with Jason if Jason didn’t want him to, and right now, he doesn’t want Jason doing him any so-called favors. Dick dismisses heading back into the house, not wanting to face his family after they must have heard at least some of the argument - thanks again, paper walls. He heads over to a low bench overlooking the koi pond, shaded by a pruned black pine tree. He rolls his shoulders and stretches his back to try to relieve some of the ever-present discomfort and sighs. Jason has no idea what he was talking about. 

Dick fidgets a bit more on the bench, comfort elusive. 

Dick was very sure that Jason was wrong about the working thing.

"Master Dick. Pardon me if I'm intruding, but you seem troubled. Can I be of service at all?"

Dick looks up from his contemplation of the ground, grateful for both the interruption and that the interrupter was Alfred. "You're not intruding. Jason and I just had an . . . argument and I could use someone to talk to, actually."

"Right, then. Care to make room on that bench for an old man?"

"You're not old, Alfred," Dick protests but slides to one side.

Alfred lowers himself to the bench with the same contained neatness and economic elegance of movement that he does everything. "So, tell me, what seems to be troubling you today?"

Dick sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "I'm not being selfish, working and teaching, am I?"

"Selfish. What an odd word to come to mind, considering you're going everything in your power to give back to our hosts and help their children."

"Jason implied that I was. That I was putting the kit in danger."

"Have you had any kind of pains or troubles that you haven't mentioned to me so far?" Alfred gives him a sharp look, making it clear that there would be consequences to pay if Dick answered yes.

"No! Nothing new. I sit down when I feel I need to, I'm taking the afternoon nap like you told me to, and I'm making sure to drink lots of water. And it's not like I'm demonstrating the moves myself. I can teach someone how to flip without doing a flip of my own." Dick rubs the side of his belly ruefully. He's pretty sure he couldn't do a backflip now even if he wanted to.

"Then I must agree that you're not being selfish, continuing to work as long as you feel up to and you continue to maintain the precautions that we put in place. I do find it out of character that Jason would have a problem with that."

"Well, that's what the argument started out about, but then I mentioned getting back into shape after the baby comes, and that's when Jason got really upset with me."

“What exactly did Master Jason say to you, my boy?”

"I don't know exactly - all I know is that I said I wouldn't be bored because I was going to be able to start working out again a few weeks after the baby is born, and then he said more like months, and then he said he wasn't going to let me."

"Hmmmm. Master Jason has never struck me as the type of Alpha who subscribes to the more traditional and narrow-minded views about what Omegas can and cannot do. Perhaps you misunderstood."

"I don't think so! He said, and I quote, that he ‘wouldn't allow me’ to fight the Joker."

"Perhaps this is coming more from a place of concern than an attempt to control."

"Well, that's not what he actually said. He just said that I need to start thinking about other people now, not just Bruce."

"Ah. I suggest you go talk to him directly. I am certain that clear and open communication will sort this out."

Dick looked at Alfred, one eyebrow raised. "When have you ever known anything in this family to get fixed by clear and open communication?"

Alfred gave a mild chuckle. "Nevertheless. Hope springs eternal!"

"I don't know what Jason was thinking anyway - I know he wants to get home as much as any of us do. And the only way that we can do that is to find Bruce. To have a chance at actually succeeding, we're going to need every single one of us."

Alfred turns towards Dick, his face even more serious and somber than usual. "Have you thought about the baby? If the unthinkable happens, and you go off the battle and do not return? What if you both leave and then neither one of you returns?"

"That's not going to happen! And if Jason is so worried about leaving this kit an orphan, then maybe he should be the one to stay home! Instead of expecting me to do it just because I'm the Omega. I've always planned on going back to Nightwing, Jason knows that, I have no intention of hanging up the tights."

"Are you quite certain that that is what Jason actually intended? For you to 'hang up the tights'?" Alfred's mouth curled up as he pronounced the last phrase as if the informality was unfamiliar against his chin.

"I don't know! I think so! I know that he started getting upset as soon as I started talking about training again."

"Well then, my dear boy, perhaps you should review the conversation and see if you can discern when the two of you began talking cross purposes, and both started to make assumptions about the other."

Dick exhales, slow and frustrated, closing his eyes. "Don't you think I tried?"

"Then try again, my lad. You are a detective, after all." With that, Alfred pushes himself to stand, straightens his montsuki, and gives Dick a warm but knowing look. "I have the utmost confidence in you, Master Dick."

After Alfred leaves, Dick thinks about the points that he made for a few minutes, reviewing his conversation earlier with Jason as he had been instructed to. He was wondering how he would find Jason if he didn’t want to be found, but a glance at the position of the sun in the sky shows that he doesn’t have much time before his first class.

Pushing himself to his feet with a huff of effort, he heads to the training salle. Jason would have to wait for now - Dick had kits to teach.

Halfway through Dick's second class, he looks up from giving a young beta kit pointers on maintaining his backbend to see Jason lounging against the back wall of the training courtyard. He nods when Dick catches his eye, and Dick gives a small nod in return. He almost smiles but then remembers that he's still mad at Jason for being a chauvinistic Alpha pig. 

Keeping Alfred's admonishments in mind, Dick takes the next opportunity to sit when the class is busy, sighing in relief. Talk about taking a load off. When the class finishes and he dismisses the kits, Jason is suddenly at Dick's side with a cup of water. Dick drinks it gratefully and also accepts Jason's hand to assist him in standing up. Of course, Jason has to ruin Dick's feelings of gratitude by saying, "See, this is why I wanted you to stop. You're clearly exhausted."

"I am not!" Dick snaps, offended. "There's a big difference between being thirsty and exhausted."

Jason looks like he's about to argue, again, but then he seems to rethink it. "I didn't come here to argue."

"Huh. Could have fooled me."

"I just wanted to tell you that if Alfred and the midwives are okay with you working, then I am too."

"While I'm relieved to hear it, I don't actually need your permission. We're not mates, and even if you were, that wouldn't give you the right to dictate that kind of thing."

"Not even if I'm worried about you and the baby?"

"Then you can bring up your concerns in a rational manner, like a reasonable person, instead of making pronouncements about what I can and can't do like it's the 1880s and Omegas couldn't even vote."

"That's not what I was trying to do!"

"Really? Because with are your talk about not allowing me to do things. And last I checked, you don't have years of experience delivering babies or as a field medic, so instead you're spouting a lot of old fashioned thinking that has since been proven to be untrue."

Jason has the grace to look at least a little ashamed. He holds his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright! I'm sorry I said that you shouldn't work or implied that you needed my permission in any way."

"Good."

"But honestly, I didn't come here to fight. I wanted to see if you wanted to walk to the shrine just outside the village with me."

"Yes! I would love to!"

"You haven't been yet?"

"No, I haven't."

"Ready to go now or do you want to rest first?"

Dick sighs. "Jason Todd. Have you learned nothing? Stop trying to get me to rest all the time!"

"I didn't mean it like that - I swear. I just meant do you want to use the bathroom or grab a snack or whatever?"

"Okay, fine. I'm ready now."

"Right. Then lead the way."

Dick takes Jason's hand and heads out of the compound. It seems that every time he and Jason seem like they're on the same page, one of them says something that rubs the other the wrong way. He can't deny that they have good sexual compatibility, and Jason is fun to be around when he’s not being overbearing, but there was a reason that they hadn't officially mated, and not just because Dick didn't want Jason to make that decision just because he felt beholden in some way because now there was a baby on the way. 

Still, he makes a deliberate effort to put those worries aside and enjoy the walk. A gentle breeze softens the late spring warmth, and giant fluffy white clouds sail across the sky, casting shadows larger than the village on the ground. Right now, they're walking in one of those shadows, taking the edge off of the bright sun, but leaving enough of the sky still clear for Dick to enjoy the brilliant blue of the sky and the sunlight dappling the leaves. 

"It’s so beautiful here," he says as they exit the village and the silence between them starts to feel awkward.

"It is. Was. God this time travel thing is so confusing."

“It is. But Jason, I didn’t ask you to walk with me because I wanted to enjoy the view. We need to talk.”

**Author's Note:**

> Banter of a sexual nature, but the scene fades to black before anything happens. Description of childbirth in later chapters. The fic isn't finished so tags may be adjusted, but I don't plan for anything too graphic, but the birth will be covered.
> 
> Title is from the poem "Two Travelling Together" by Hiromi Itō. You can read it here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/142863/two-traveling-together


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